There are various news publications in the United States and Britain, covering a wide range of topics, such as current affairs reports, editorials, comments, features and advertisements. So their styles are different. The news styles discussed in this paper are mainly news stories, comments and features. News has its unique stylistic features, and the translation of news reports should follow the basic rules of news translation in addition to the general translation principles.
1. Overall language style
First of all, from the perspective of language style, different publications have different language styles, and different types of articles also have different stylistic features. However, their writing is influenced by some factors, thus forming the same characteristics of news English. First of all, news publications are mass media with a wide range of readers, and their language must adapt to the reading level of readers. Popularity is one of its major characteristics. Second, the western press attaches great importance to reading interest. Some reporters call it? Touchstone of news values? . In order to increase the interest of the report, not only the content of the report, but also the language used should adapt to readers' hobbies and reading habits. Third, frugality is an important means of refining language, and it is also out of the practical need of saving pages in newspapers and periodicals. In western society, advertising is profitable, and newspapers cherish the layout space. In order to report as much content as possible in a limited space, journalists have to take all means to condense and refine the language. The above three factors, namely popularity, interest and frugality, constitute the language style characteristics of news English.
The language of news English is interesting and easy to understand, concise, and rich in content is expressed in very economical language. Therefore, in the process of translation, under the premise of not affecting the completeness and accuracy of expression, try to delete words that can or cannot be used. In addition, the language of news style is clear, not ambiguous, not obscure, but at the same time news style pays attention to strong expression and vivid narration, so we must practice more words in translation to show the overall appearance of news style.
2. Lexical features
Secondly, news English also has its obvious lexical features. First, common words have specific news colors. News reports often use certain words to express facts and events. Therefore, after long-term use, these words gradually gained special meanings related to news reports and became news words. For example, the word "terror" has long been used in news headlines to express unfortunate accidents and violence. The lowest point in the relationship between the two countries? . In addition, there are some conventional expressions in news reports, such as quoting? Words). Second, use? Small words? . Dwarf words are short words, usually monosyllabic words. The wide use of small words is due to the limited space of newspapers, which can avoid migration. Small words have a wide range of meanings and are generally more vivid and flexible. News English calls these words synonyms for all jobs, such as back and ban. Thirdly, abbreviations are widely used. This is mainly to save time and space. For example, WB (World Bank), ASP (American price), biz (commercial business) and so on. Fourth, improvisation. News reports are often used to express needs and pursue novelty? Improvise/create? , that is, words or phrases created or pieced together temporarily, such as Euromart, have and have-not.
Starting from the four characteristics of vocabulary, we should do the following in the process of Chinese-English translation:
First of all, you should be familiar with certain words often used in British and American newspapers, such as
General vocabulary of news vocabulary
prohibit
Conflict reconciliation
Suppress decline
Cut down
Around a series of actions
shock
Boost up
Second, pay more attention at ordinary times? Small words? 、? Make up words? And abbreviations.
Third, understand the meaning of words accurately, and don't look at it.
In such a society, many people often break the law to crack down on black market activities, just to make ends meet. Everyone is easily condemned by neighbors or friends because they have their own sins to hide.
Many people often engage in illegal black market transactions to make a living. In such a society, everyone is in danger of being accused, and everyone has illegal things to hide.
In this example, just to get by should not be literally understood as? Just for a second? For what? Sin? Understand? Something illegal? Obviously better than? Original sin? To suit the original text.
3. Grammatical features
Thirdly, the grammatical features of news English are also remarkable. First, the use of tenses. The present tense is widely used in English news. In order to create a lasting effect and give people a sense of reality, the present tense is often used instead of the past tense in titles and texts. In addition, even in the object clause after verbs such as said, held, reported and added, the present tense is often used instead of the past tense. Second, use extended simple sentences. Due to the limited space of newspapers and periodicals, an important feature of news style in grammar is the high expansion of sentence patterns and rigorous structure, which compresses rich information into limited space. Common methods include using appositive language, prepositional phrases, participle phrases and other language components to expand simple sentences, and sometimes using brackets instead of clauses, thus simplifying the sentence structure. Third, the prepositive modifiers are highly concentrated. In order to make the sentence structure compact and tight, the news style uses a large number of pre-modifiers to modify nouns, such as a Grenade and machine gun attack.
Based on these grammatical features, we should pay attention to the following points in the process of translation, combined with the language habits of China people. First, when translating, pay attention to the expressions of different tenses in Chinese and English news: English often uses the present tense, Chinese often uses the past tense, and Chinese often uses time words, such as? Yesterday? 、? Tomorrow? 、? Will. Waiting for the detonation time relationship. Secondly, according to the characteristics of news English in sentence structure and modification, we can adopt the methods of deletion, disassembly, reverse translation, insertion and recombination to carry out English-Chinese translation and Chinese-English translation.
But a White House aide said that the government had almost given up hope of resuming political dialogue with Jesus. Three weeks ago, Sadat cancelled his conversation with Jesus, and the conversation was interrupted.
But a White House aide said that the government had almost given up hope of resuming political negotiations in Jerusalem. The talks were interrupted two weeks ago because Sadat withdrew from the negotiating delegation.
4. Cultural factors and national conditions
To do a good job in news translation, translators should not only have language knowledge, but also have necessary cultural and political knowledge, and pay attention to expanding their knowledge so as to avoid mistranslation or serious consequences. For example, there is such a telegram:1In July, 956, Nixon came to the Far East again. He went to the Philippines, South Vietnam, Taiwan Province Province, Thailand, Pakistan and Turkey for activities. ? This telegram may come from foreign sources, but the translator regards Taiwan Province Province and South Vietnam as independent countries when translating this information. Such a report may have serious consequences.
5. Language difference compilation and explanatory translation
In addition, considering the differences between Chinese and English language habits, especially in many cases, the translation of foreign news reports is often non-word-for-word, which requires the introduction of two other translation methods: compilation and explanatory translation.
Due to the role of news value, when translating foreign news reports, we should consider the requirements and interests of foreign audiences and choose news content in a targeted manner. So sometimes news that occupies a considerable space in domestic reports will be compiled into newsletters, photo news and so on in foreign reports.
Ex.: Go into battle calmly, and a gunshot shocked the world.
Li Duihong likes winning the gold medal in shooting.
Set a new Olympic record with 687.9 rings.
Li Duihong, a female athlete from China, won the women's sport pistol final with a score of 687.9 rings today.
Beat all opponents and set a new Olympic record. She won the first gold medal for the China Shooting Team in this Olympic Games, which brought the total number of gold medals won by the China delegation to six. (Guangming Daily 1996.7.2)
Li Sheguo? The sixth gold medal
China? Li Duihong won the women's championship? Olympic 25 m sport pistol
Beijing time this morning, Jin and a total of 687.9 minutes. (China Daily, July 27th 1996)
From this example, we can find that the translator does not translate word for word, but takes into account the characteristics of both Chinese and English, and the sentence structure and voice have also changed.
Explanatory translation news emphasizes clarity and understandability. Like English news, Chinese news reports are also innovative in terms of words. Jargon? 、? Historical allusions? Rich and diverse. In order to translate them clearly and easily and introduce them to foreign readers, it is usually necessary to use explanatory translation methods. Specifically, explanatory translation methods are needed for historical events, place names, institutions unique to China, festivals, customs, jargon, cliches and historical allusions. Like what? Ba Jin? Translation? China writer Ba Jin? Another example? Jiangsu? Translation? Jiangsu in East China? In order to let foreign readers know the geographical location and characteristics of these places.
The following examples are necessary explanatory translations.
According to the traditional recycling in China, every child who came into this world in the Lunar New Year, which started last Saturday, was born in the Year of the Rooster.
This report is unique to China people? The zodiac explained.
6. Concluding remarks
Through the above explanation, we should not only follow the general principles of translation, but also pay attention to the stylistic features of news. To improve the level of news translation, we need to have rich language knowledge, correct understanding of word meaning, clear grammatical concepts and extensive cultural knowledge.